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Dhawan makes an impression

Vijay Lokapally

— File Photo

Shikhar Dhawan.

NEW DELHI: The India ‘A’ team may not have qualified for the final of the Emerging Players’ cricket tournament in Australia but Shikhar Dhawan, the left-handed strokeplayer from Delhi, made the most of the assignment.

Dhawan aggregated 334 runs from six matches and emerged the second highest run-getter of the tournament, which was won by New Zealand following a three-wicket victory over Australian Institute of Sports.

Dhawan took time to come to terms with the pitches but he recovered to slam a sensational 184 against South Africa at Brisbane. The 147-ball knock, with 20 fours and five sixes, reconfirmed his credentials as a batsman with potential as India won the match by a mere run.

Coach happy

India ‘A’ coach Pravin Amre was all praise for Dhawan. “I found him amazingly determined and focused. He did not do well initially but I liked his positive attitude. It was an important tour for most players and Dhawan grabbed it with both hands. He set up the games for us nicely and what I liked was his eagerness to learn. His 184 was a very special innings and I am sure it was good exposure for his bigger battles ahead. He was open to corrections and this was one platform that he knew was ideal for him. It was a hard task for the players and Dhawan delivered,” said Amre.

Having made a big impact in the under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh seven years ago, Dhawan excelled in the recently-held Indian Premier League for Delhi Daredevils, impressing the selectors with his consistency and brilliant fielding, an aspect that was driven home long ago by his coaches, Tarak Sinha and Madan Sharma.

On the Australian experience, Dhawan said, “It was important for me to do well and I enjoyed the fact that I could do well on pitches that were very challenging. Every batsman wants to succeed in Australia and it was a great learning experience for me.” — Vijay Lokapally

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